Refreshing vanilla flavored cold brew with sweet cream, this Starbucks copycat recipe recreates this delicious and easy drink so you can make it at home to save money and time!
Want to save this article?
Enter your email below and get it sent straight to your inbox. Plus, get recipes & tips every week!
Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew
Starbucks Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew is a cold coffee menu item that’s made with vanilla flavored cold brew coffee and sweetened with a vanilla sweet cream.
It’s a delicious caffeinated drink that’s completely refreshing. It’s for anyone that loves strongly brewed coffee taste mellowed down with a little sweetened cream.
Cold brew coffee is made in-store at Starbucks by steeping ground coffee in cold water for 20 hours. It’s super easy to do the same at home.
RELATED: Irish Cream Cold Brew
Recipe Highlights
- This copycat Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew is recreated by taking the exact Starbucks recipe.
- It takes only 4 ingredients and 5 minutes to assemble this grande size (16 ounces) drink at home.
- Store-bought cold brew coffee can be used or make it from scratch using my no-fail cold brew recipe.
RELATED: Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew
Ingredient Notes
- Cold brew: Use store-bought or homemade cold brew for this recipe.
- Vanilla syrup: Store-bought or homemade vanilla syrup can be used. This recipe uses homemade since it’s super easy to make at home with just 3 ingredients. The vanilla syrup is used in the cold brew and the sweet cream.
- Half & half: Starbucks uses heavy cream and 2% milk to make their sweet cream but I’m using a shortcut by using half & half, which is half cream and half milk.
For full ingredients and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Stir together half & half and vanilla syrup to make sweet cream.
Step 2: Pour vanilla syrup, cold brew, then ice into a cup.
Step 3: Add sweet cream.
Recipe Notes
Make syrup and cold brew ahead of time.
If you’re using homemade vanilla syrup and cold brew, make these ahead of time and store in the refrigerator in airtight containers. Keep them separate until the drink is ready to be assembled.
Starbucks sweet cream recipe.
I use half & half as a shortcut to making sweet cream, but to make sweet cream just like Starbucks, stir together 6 ounces of heavy cream, 3 ounces of 2% milk, and 1 ounce of vanilla syrup.
No cold brew? Used chilled brewed coffee.
If you don’t have cold brew, you can use strongly brewed coffee in a coffee drip machine that has been cooled down. Note that the flavor won’t be exactly the same though since cold brew and brewed coffee taste a little different. Cold brew will taste mellower.
Expert Tips
- Cold brew can be made using any kind of coffee you like from light to dark roast, but stick with the one by Starbucks if you want the flavor as close to the original.
- Add as much sweet cream you like to make it creamy and sweet. Or add cold foam to make it frothy.
- Starbucks vanilla syrup can be purchased at a Starbucks location if they have extra in stock, for about $14.
- At Starbucks, it’s common to order this drink with extra sweet cream, extra vanilla syrup, or both.
Questions You May Have
Sweet cream is Starbucks’ add-in that creams, sweetens, and flavors their drinks. It’s vanilla flavored.
Cold brew coffee is made by steeping ground coffee in cold water for hours in the refrigerator. Iced Coffee is made by brewing hot coffee then cooling it down. Cold brew is smoother and mellower than iced coffee.
A grande is made with Starbucks cold brew coffee, 2 pumps of vanilla syrup, ice, and a splash of sweet cream.
Related
- Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew
- Jameson Cold Brew Irish Whiskey
- Cold Brew Coffee Coke Float
- Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam
- Dunkin’ Cold Brew Copycat
Want to save this recipe to Pinterest for later? Pin it now to your Pinterest board!
Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew (Starbucks Copycat)
INGREDIENTS
Vanilla Cold Brew
- 2 tablespoons vanilla syrup
- 1 cup cold brew
- 1 cup ice
Sweet Cream
- ¼ cup half & half
- 1 tablespoon vanilla syrup
INSTRUCTIONS
- Stir together half & half and vanilla syrup to make Sweet Cream.Set aside.
- Pour vanilla syrup, cold brew, then ice into a cup.
- Add sweet cream.
NOTES
- The vanilla syrup and the cold brew can be made ahead of time but keep them separate until the drink is ready to be assembled.
- Add as much sweet cream you like to make it creamy and sweet.
- I use half & half as a shortcut to making sweet cream, but to make sweet cream just like Starbucks, stir together 6 ounces of heavy cream, 3 ounces of 2% milk, and 1 ounce of vanilla syrup.
- Homemade vanilla syrup is super easy to make at home with just 3 ingredients.
- Starbucks vanilla syrup can be purchased at a Starbucks location if they have extra in stock, for about $14.
I’ve been on a Vanilla sweet cream cold brew kick but I needed to stop because I’m doing low carb and well you can’t drink it on low carb haha. So I took your recipe but did all heavy cream (about 2-3 Tb) and skinny syrup and now I have the same thing but low carb! Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks for explaining things so clearly. Great recipe!
How do I make vanilla fraps?! I bought the coffee machine…wife say’s that’s not it! She buy’s vanilla fraps by the box 16 per box 2 per week!!! Please help lol
Hi Christopher, Vanilla Frappuccino recipe will be up soon!
Sound good will try this summer for sure,except decaffeinated coffee